Claiming His Secret Son(55)
Richard had considered liquidating him as a preemptive measure, before dismissing him. He’d decided the airtight security measures he constantly varied would take care of Brockovich if he ever developed into an actual threat.
“And do you remember forcing me to pledge to fulfill any one demand in return for information leading to Jenan’s whereabouts when she disappeared?”
“You mean when she discovered you were using her?”
Numair sneered. “I hated being indebted to you. So when Rafael told me of your domestic adventures with those suburban doctors, I knew something was wrong. I watched you, looking for an opening to do something big enough, preemptively, to fulfill my obligation to you. And I discovered you’ve converged massive security on those people, for no apparent reason...and neglected your own.”
Richard frowned. Numair was right. His personal team did nothing without constantly updated orders. The ones he’d forgotten to give them...for weeks now. Not that this should matter. His personal security was a matter of paranoia on his side, not an actual necessity.
Numair went on. “I know you’re probably one of the most unassailable men on earth, but I had a bad feeling about this. Knowing you’re at your headquarters early on Saturdays, I decided to confront you. I caught up with you as you left the building—just in time to see Brockovich pull a gun on you. The Cobra I know would have sensed him a mile away. Wouldn’t have let him breach that mile in the first place. You didn’t even notice him as he passed you. He turned to shoot you and I was on top of him, diverting the bullet and knocking him out. You were gone by then without noticing a thing. I put him someplace where he won’t cause anyone trouble again, but I got this—” he held up a bandaged forearm “—from a ricocheting piece of pavement. And I had to lie to Jenan about it.”
Richard could only stare at him.
“You didn’t hear the silenced gunshot or notice the commotion behind you in an almost empty street.”
Richard shook his head, dazed. “You saved my life.”
Numair gave a curt nod. “And since you saved mine when you reconnected me with Jenan, this repays my debt.”
Unable to stand anymore, Richard sagged on the nearest horizontal surface, dropping his head in his hands.
Numair came down beside him. “What the hell is going on with you, Cobra?”
He slanted him a glance without raising the head that felt as if it weighed half a ton. “Don’t tell me you care.”
“To borrow what you said—when you helped me resolve Zafrana’s debts, saving Jenan’s kingdom and its king, her father—if I didn’t, I wouldn’t have intervened on your behalf.”
“You didn’t do it for me. You were just discharging your debt. You’re terminally honorable that way.”
“That notwithstanding, and though I might have seriously considered killing you before, I wouldn’t want your life to end at the hands of such a worthless scumbag.”
“You think I deserve a more significant end, eh?”
“Definitely a spectacular one.” Numair’s expression suddenly grew thunderous. “Will you tell me what the hell is wrong with you? Are you...sick?”
Richard’s breath left him in a mirthless huff. “You can say that.” Before Numair could probe, Richard sat forward, deciding to end this meeting. “Thanks for bringing this to my attention. And for saving my life. I’m in your debt now. You know the drill. You can ask for anything and it’s yours.”
“Again, to echo what you said to me before, I’ll collect right now. Answer my questions.”
“Why? Really, Phantom, what do you care?”
“Let’s say now I’ve found this hugely undeserved bliss with Jenan, and you do have a hand in it, I can no longer hang on to my hatred of you. I don’t want to. I want to wipe the slate clean, don’t want to let old animosities taint the new life where our child will be born. Especially since you turned out to be human after all, apparently wanting a woman so much you’ve been putting up with her family and friends for weeks on end. Not to mention slipping up like mortals do. So just tell me the truth, dammit.”
Richard had long thought it pointless to tell Numair why he’d betrayed him, causing him to be punished within an inch of his life for two months straight. But he wanted to stop hiding from him, as he’d stopped hiding from Rose, and from himself. He needed to resolve the issues between them, once and for all.
So he told him the truth. About everything.
To say Numair was stunned would be an understatement.
Suddenly heaving up, Numair dragged him with him by his lapels, his teeth bared, his shout like thunder. “All these years...you crazy bastard...you let me think you betrayed me, made us live as enemies...all these years.”